Small-batch-mixing apparatus



Oct H. LEVY SHALL BATCH MIXNG APPARATUS Filed m11 28, 1925 xNvE'NToR {BY/jL v Vg c1- w ATroRNEYS.

Patented Oct. 18, 1927.

UNITED STATES` HENRY LEVY, OF BROOKLYN, N EW YORK.

SMALL-BATGH-MIXING APPARATUS.

Application filed April 28, 1925. SeralkNo.-26,345.

lMy present invention is concerned primarily with mechanical apparatus for intimately mixing small batches of ingredients as for instance, medicinal powders for apothecary use or the ingredients to form an amalgam for dental use with which latter application, the embodiment shown in the drawings and hereinafter described in detail,` is more especially concerned.

It is among` the objects of the invention to provide mixing apparatus of the character mentioned, of simple and compactconstruction, which shall be thoroughly sanitary in use.

v 'Among other objects are to provide amalgam mixing apparatus of the character mentioned' by which homogeneous amalgam of proper consistency is easily produced, unadulterated with traces of metal from any part of the structure of the apparatus, in which the progress of the amalgamation 'may be observed ythroughout `and which lends itself readily to operation from an ordinary dental engine.

- According to myV invention, the amalgam ismixed by theoperation of projecting the ingredients, `usually mercuryand powdered silver against'the wall of a containenthere- `.by-causing the mercury to sub-divide into small particles and tov offer a greater surface of contact `with respect to the silver powder for more rapid andr homogeneous amalgamation therewith. In the. preferred apparatus forcarrying out-the process, a small vial may serve as the container for the metal batch and be attachedbymeans (of its closure cap, to a shaft which bears a driving spindle carrying at its inner end a mixing Celluloid, bakelite, vulcanite or similar rigid non-metallic, non-corrosive material, and the edges of which substantially contact thel 50H bled amalgam mixer, f

`,Figui-e2 isa sectional view taken along the'lline 2 2v of Figure 1, l

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken along f u the line 3-3 of Figure 1,

blade which preferably is of bone, ivory,l

Figure I is a perspective view of the mixing blade, K

Figure 5 is a side elevation `of the driving spindle and,

Figure 6 is a view in longitudinal section of the haft.

Referringk now to thedrawings, I have shown a vial 10 whichmay be `of' glass or quartz preferably with a fairly thick wall and of uniform internal diameter from end to end. Ihe ,vial is removably threaded into a .vulcanite cover cap 11 which in turn has axially threaded thereinto a stud 12 formedv integrally on a metallic haft 13 which is thereby firmly secured to the cap. The haft is adapted to be telescoped yover the tool handle member 15 of any ordinary dental engine (not shown). The liexible shaft (not shown) of the dental enginek is coupled by` the usual clutch (not shown) with a driving spindle 16 extending axially of the haft intorthe vial and having a bearing 17 in the thick walled reduced end 18 of the haft. The driving spindle is retained against longitudinal displacement by a nut 19 threaded uponone end thereof and abutting shoulder 20 on the haft and nut 21 at the other end thereof abutting the inner surface of the cap 11. driving spindle, I mount a substantially fiat blade 23 which is generally rectangular in form7 but is preferably v,thicker and stronger at its supported' end and tapers in thickness to the inner diameter of the vial, so that it substantially contacts the wall thereof and the blade has a threaded axial socket 27 into which the end of the spindle 16 is threaded so that its end edge 24 may substantially contact the bottom of the vial. Preferably a lock nut 25 is provided on the spindle by which the blade. is held in a definite setting thereon contacting the bottom of the particular vial employed as indicated in Figure 2.

In assembly the nut 19 is first applied to Upon the inner end ofthe to a relatively thin edge- 24.' The width of ythe blade is preferably ksubstantially equal the spindle 16, and the latter is then ,in- Y fserted through the end of the haft to bring` nutl .19 into Acontact with shoulder 20'. VThe cap 11 lis threaded to haft stud 12 whereupon the nut 21 is applied to combine the spindle and haft in an assembly. There-y icV thereagainst to lock it against shift and thel assembly is completed.

Forense, the haft 13 isappliedntoV the'tool i handle 150i a dental engine and the spindle 16 is coupled with respect to the flexible 'operating shaft of the dental engine.

K Thereupon the" appropriate quantity of `mercury and powdered silver to form the amalgam is placed into the vial 10, the vial'isapplied to u the vcap 11 the, dental engine is set into i operation. In this operation the blade 2?) will revolvevrapidly aboutits axis and by reasony of its close Contact with the sidewall and bottom of the amalgam, it will project themetallic contents against and'about lthe wall of the vial, causing 'the liquid mercury Yto subdivide into small particles presenting av relatively large y exposed "area foi' contact with the silver powder which is also agitated by the blades 23 and thus becomes rapidly amalgamated therewith. l, The completion of the operation will be apparent when the material is visible through the Ivial as a unitary pellet and will also be noted from the operation of the engine. When the mixing operation is" completed, after stopping vthe engine, the vial is removedfrom its cap yand the ainalgam'removed therefrom.

The effective length ofthe blader need not be that of the'vial but it may as shown for instance in Figure 4 be fshorterand have a unitary bushing extension 26 into which part of the metal spindle 16 is threaded, the end of said spindle extending into vthefthreaded socket 27 as in Figure 2. Ther vial is prefl erably suspended slightly inclinedifrom vvertically downward in operation so that in the mixing, 'both the bottom and the side of the blade enterinto engagement with `the ingrendients to -more ygamation lrapidly kcomplete the amal- It will be especially noted that the ingredients of the amalgam throughout themix-y t ing operation come into Contact only with ythe glass vial and the bone,.ivory, Celluloid,

bakelite, orvulcanite mixing blade so that Vthe danger is wholly obviated of alloying `therewith any foreign metal which might be ,e incurred in ainixer affording heavy metallic cups, sockets, anvils against which acutting or.cr.ushing tool presses the ingredients that .form the amalgam. v

j QI The amalgam when produced ywith my-A ap-y paratus and accordingyto my agitating orL f projecting method moreover has qualities sul i" ,perior to those of amalgamsmade by a crushingnor cutting operation. A l f Itwill be understood that the haft and the driving spindle would be constructed to correspond to the'handle and flexible shaft of the dental engine and different securin means, clutches or lengths ofspindle would be provided for different makes ofdental engines.

dental engines and such construction would be rmore particularlyapplicable to powder 'mixers for use'by apothecaries.` y y f y'It will thus be seen thaty there is herein described apparatusin which the several features 'of this invention are embodied, and

which apparatus in its action'attains the va-y i i'ious objects .of the invention cand is .well` meet. the requirements (if-practical suited to usel f 'As many changes couldrbe made-'inthe above construction andV many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departn from the "scope thereof, it is intended that'a lrmatter-f contained in the above description ,or shownr iii-'the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted limiting sense.

Having thus described my Ainvention What rvI claim as new and desire to `secure by Letters Patent is f f.

l l. An amalgam mixery comprisinga genry.

e'rallyk 'cylindrical vial, ya, cover removably secured thereon, a: nonfmetallic rotatable bladegenerally rectangularein form having 'a driving shaft extending 'axiallythrough y*said cover, the sides ofsaid blade substantially contacting a `wall of the vial ini operation.

1.2. In anamalgam mixerain combination, ageneral'ly cylindrical. vial, a cover threaded thereon, a-bladegenerally mactangular in' :is-illustrative and not yin .a

form, its L side walls substantially lcontacting iii' the sidewall of the vial, a, driving sha-ft for said blade extending axially through `said' jcover, said blade adjustableon said y,driving shaft for proper positioning with respectfto said vial to bring the end kof said bladelrsiub= stantially iii contact with the end of said vial. v3. In `an amalgam mixer, incombination, a metallic haft adapted'to be attached to the tool holder of a dental engine handle,

a driving spindleextending axially through-? saidhaft and bearingftherein, stop nutsjon said s indleV preventing longitudinal movek,ment t` ereof with respect yto said haft, arotatabler non-metallicl agitator threadediipon tainer 'l removably secured to said haft'- `for the end of4 said shaft, land a non-inet-allicfc''on-*v enclosing the amalgam to be mixed" andfg'also said agitator. Y, y ,Y y 4. In a dentaliamalgam mixerlof the type adapted to be driven from a dental engine, in combination, a haft member attaehable to the tool holder of the engine, a driving spindle having a bea-ring in said haft member and adapted to be connected to the engine shaft, a mixing blade rigidly secured to said spindle, a threaded cap secured to said haft member about said spindle and beyond the end of said blade, and a vial surrounding said blade and threaded with respect to said cap.

5. In a dental amalgam mixer, in combination, a metal haft adapted to be attached to a dental engine tool handle, a vial eap L threaded upon the end of said haft, a driving shaft Spindle extending axially through Said haft, a stop upon said spindle against a shoulder in said shaft and a nut threaded on said spind le against the inside of said Cap, thereby to maintain the spindle against reciprocating movement, said spindle having a bearing in said haft and being adapted to be Connected to the driving shaft of a dental -York and State of New engine, a non-metallic mixing b'lade threaded and a detachable connection between the1 mandrel and socket.

7 A dental mixing device embodying a mandrel, and a container, a threaded connection between the same, an agitator within the container, and a` shaft extended through the'mandrel and socket and detaeh' ably connected with the agitator.

Signed at New York in the county of New York A. D. 1925.

HENRY LEVY. 

